MONTGOMERY — Alabama’s 12 family resource centers on Thursday publicly accepted a $100,000 grant from the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation.The foundation presented the check in a ceremony coinciding with the Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers meeting at the First United Methodist Church.ACJF President Frank Woodson, a Montgomery attorney, said the money is a wise investment because family resource centers help communities.“The Alabama Civil Justice Foundation has made this significant grant because we believe families’ and children’s lives will be changed and communities will be transformed with the expansion of this model to every county in the state,” Woodson said.ACJF Executive Director Sue McInnish said the money will be apportioned among the 12 resource centers.Family resource centers are private, non-profit organizations that work with local social service and education providers in communities to help mostly low- and moderate-income people gain self-sufficiency.Because of its size and the way it is structured, the Family Success Center of Gadsden is not a member of the network, but it previously has received grants from the ACJF to conduct its programs, said Executive Director Marie Johnson.“Our whole goal is to support families,” Johnson said.The Family Success Center partners with the city of Gadsden, Gadsden State Community College and United Way to provide services to mostly low- and moderate-income families or single parents, Johnson said.Services include establishing long-term shelter, food and transportation abilities.The Montgomery conference also was used to announce the seventh annual statewide conference Tuesday at the Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa.The conference is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features state school Superintendent Tommy Bice; Linda Tilly, executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children; and Stephen Black of the University of Alabama’s Center of Ethics and Social Responsibility.The Alabama Civil Justice Foundation was established by the Alabama Association for Justice, formerly the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association.

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